Seat for automobiles.



No. 691,807. Patented Jan. 28, 1902;

0. F. PERSSON.

SEAT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

(Application filed Aug: 9, 1901.

(No Model.)

(Dibn asses:

Inventor Otto F. persson,

a; 2 z z tty.

THE n'cmus mzns ca. mmurua, wnsnmsromp, c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO F. PERSSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ELIHU THOMSON, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEAT FOR AUTOMOBILES SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 691,807, dated January 28, 1902. Application filed August 9, 1901. Serial No. 71.522. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, OTTO F. PERSSON, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seats for Automobiles, (Case No. 2,372,) of which the following is a specification.

With vehicles and more particularly those of the self-propelled class it is desirable to provide seats which can be reversed, so that the occupant can face either the front or rear of the vehicle, as desired. It is also desirable to arrange the seat in such manner that it can be hidden.

The present invention has for its object to improve the construction of seats of the type above referred to,-and the scope of the invention will be more fully set forth in the claims appending hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a vehicle-seat. Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation thereof, and Fig.

'3 is a sectional detail view of the back.

The seat illustrated may be used either on the front or rear of the vehicle. In the present instance it is intended that it shall be located at the front of the vehicle ahead of the main seat, which may be of the ordinary type. The vehicle-bodyis provided with a compartment 1, which may be employed for storage purposes. One end of the compartment is closed by the footboard 2, which is secured at its lower end to the hinge 3 and is retained in its lowered position by the chain 4 and in the raised position by tail-board clamp 5. In

I the drawings only one chain and one clamp are shown; but it is to be understood that similar devices are provided on the opposite side. Opposite the footboard and extending parallel therewith is a board 6, which partially closes the right-hand end of the compartment. The balance of the compartment is closed at this point by the flat metal plate 7, while the sides are closed in by the side pieces of the body. Extending across the vehicle-body and forming the top of the 'cornpartment is a fixed seat-board 8. This board is supported by the sides of the vehicle-body in any suitable manneras by cleats, for example. The front and back of the board are provided with slots 9' and 10 to receivethe lower end of the movable back for the seat. Extending parallel with these slots and projecting slightly over'them are flat metal plates 11, which engage With a slot formed in the back of the seat and hold the latter in place. Hinged to the right-hand end of the seatboardv 8 is a stripof'wood 12, which is retained in place by the clamps 13. When the seat is used i'nfth'e manner shown, the hinged piece 12 is in the position illustrated; but when the seat is' placed in the opposite direction the piece 12 is dropped down, as is indicated by the dotted lines. Mounted on the seat-board 8 is a cushion 14, which is free to slide back and forth. The back of the seat consists of a board 15, having end projections 16 and 17, which are preferably carried by the metal. strip 18, thatextends along the ends of the boardand is secured thereto. The projections are adapted to enter the slotted pieces 19, mounted on opposite sides of the vehicle-body. The pieces 19 are similar in construction, so a description of one of them will be sufficient. The slot 20 is closed at opposite ends and is providedwith a central opening 21. The distance between one end of the slot 20 and the opening 21 is the same as the distance between the pins or projections 16 and 17 on the ends of the back. When it is desired to reverse the position of the back from that illustrated in dotted lines 22, the hinged piece 12 is dropped to the dotted-line position and the back swung to the left around the pin 17 as a pivot, at the same time moving it out of engagement with the plate 11. After the pin 16 passes through the opening 21 the back is pushed longitudinally to the left until the pin 16 strikes the left-hand end of the slot in the piece '19 and the pin 17 coincides with the opening 21. The back is then swung around the pin 16 as a center. The pin 17 passes outward'through the opening 21. After the back has been moved to the position shown in the dottedlinesv-that is to say, where the slots 23 in the back engages with the plate 11 on the base or seat-board 8-the footboard 2 may be swung up to its normal position and held in place by the tail-board clamps 5. In

order to protect the upper and lower ends of the back, metal pieces are provided, which are grooved at 24, and these grooves are adapted to register with the plates 11 on the sideboard.

When it is desired to lower the back of the seat and present an unobstructed view, the back can be swung to the position illustrated in the dotted lines 25 and the hinged piece 12 and the foothoard 2 raised to their normal positions. This means that the pins are located between the ends of the slots 20 and the opening 21, and the back is held from longitudinal movement by the footboard and hinged piece. lVith the back thus lowered it can be used as a support for baggage, if desired.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Inaseat,thecombination ofabase,metal plates secured to opposite sides of the base, a

support for the base, a detachable and reversible back, grooved plates mounted on the back and arranged to engage with the plates, backsupporting pieces each containing a closedend slot, and a (loublewset of projections on the back which enter the slots and are supported at the ends thereof.

2. In a seat, the combination of a base, support therefor, a reversible back, back-supporting pieces each containing a closed-end slot having an opening located intermediate the ends, a double set of projections on the back which work in the slot and are arranged to pass through the opening'and be seated in either end of the slots,- whereby the back may be retained in a substantially vertical or horizontal position, means for securing the back at a point below said projections, and a pair of hinged boards which engage with the back when it is in a horizontal position.

8. In a vehicle, the combination of a seat, support therefor, slotted plates mounted on the supports which slots are closed at the ends, and are provided with an opening intermediate the ends, a movable back piece, and a double set of projections on the back piece which enter the slots in such manner that the back piece may be held in a position to face the front or rear, or be retained in a position parallel to the seat.

4. In a vehicle, the combination of a seat, a support therefor, slotted plates mounted on the supports which slots are closed at the ends, and are provided with an opening intermediate the ends, a movable back piece, means on the back piece which pass through the opening and enter the slots in such manner that the back piece may be arranged to face the front or rear, or be retained in a position parallel with the seat, and plates on the seat which engage with the back piece when it is in an upright position to hold the same in place.

-5. In a vehicle, the combination of a seat, a support therefor, plates having closed-end slots mounted on the supports, a movable back piece which has slotted portions at the top and bottom, projections mounted on the back that enter the slots in the plates, and plates mounted on the seat which enter the slots in the back piece and hold it in place.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of August, 1901.

OTTO F. PERSSON.

Witnesses:

ALEX. F. MACDONALD, DUGALD McK. McKILLor; 

